OBX Beach Driving Rules Open for Comment

The National Park Service is accepting public comment about rules governing off-road vehicles on the Outer Banks. North Carolina environmental groups filed a lawsuit in 2007 that said regulators did not have proper rules in place to protect wildlife from vehicles that might disturb sea turtle nests and other natural habitats. At the same time, some North Carolina lawmakers lobbied for beach access to support local businesses. Mike Murray is the superintendent of Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Mike Murray: "Throughout the planning process, it was clear that there were controversies and polarized points of view. So the Park Service feels like the plan represents a reasonable balance that will ensure we comply with our legal requirements to protect park resources and to offer a variety of visitor experiences."

The rules implement seasonal and year-round regulations for Hatteras, Bodie and Ocracoke Islands. They are posted on the National Park Service's website and open for public comment until September 6th.

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Dare County brought in a record amount of occupancy taxes in 2012 while a record number of sea turtles nested on Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Numbers from the Outer Banks Visitors' Bureau show Dare County collected $382 million in occupancy taxes through November of 2012 compared to $367 million during the same period the year before. The county levies the tax on hotels, motels and beach houses. At the same time, park rangers reported a record 222 sea turtle nests in 2012.

The outer bands of Hurricane Irene are making their way across eastern North Carolina. The National Weather Service reports steady rainfall in the Wilmington area and swells of six to nine feet along the Outer Banks. Tommy Hutcherson owns the Ocracoke Variety Store. He says he's making some last-minute preparations before conditions get worse.